Mail-bag closure.



No. 656,398. Patented Au'g. 2|, I900.

- J. W. FAIRFAX.

MAIL BAG CLOSURE. (Applichtion filed Apr. 27, 1900.

(No Model.)

A UNITED STATE-S PAT NT OFFICE.

JOIIN WALTER FAIRFAX, OF FREESTONE POINT, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY FAIRFAX, OF ALDIE, VIRGINIA.

MAIL-BAG onosuaE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 656,398, dated August 21, 1900.

Application filed April 27, 190 0.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J onn WALTER FAIRFAX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Freestone Point, in the county of P'rinceWilliam and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Bag Closures; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. The type of mail-bag closing by a series of folds and secured by a fastening passing through openings or slots in the folds in coincident relation and having a head or enlargement at one end and a lock at the opposite end is preferred by many because of the simplicity, ease of fastening and opening the sack, and the minimum cost and weight involved. One of the chief objections urged against mail-bag closures of the variety aforesaid is the weakening of the mouth portion of the sack and the great width of the folds resulting from arranging the slots through which the fastening passes in a line parallel with the edge of the sack and at a right angle to its length. This invention aims to maintain the maximum strength of the sack and admit of the folds being comparatively narrow; also to provide for shedding the water quickly during a rainy spell when the sack is suspended from the craneand prevent injury to the mail matter from water entering therein.

The invention consists, essentially, of a mail-sack adapted to close by a series of relatively-narrow folds and having the slots for the fastening centrally disposed with reference to the folds and parallel therewith and with the length of the sack; an oblong link of a size to pass readily through the slots of the folds when gathered and to have its end portions project beyond the extreme folds a short distance; a ring looped into the link and adapted to move therein from one end to the other, so as to admit of either end of the link being thrust through the slots of the.

aforesaid folds, said ring being confined in the opposite end of the link and preventing the latter from passing entirely through the Serial No. 14,603- (No model.)

folds and serving as a means to connect the mail-sack with the crane, and a padlock to engage with the end of the link passed through the folds of the sack, thereby se curing the latter when closed.

The invention is set forth in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end portion of a mail-sack, showing it fastened in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 as seen from the reverse side. Fig. 3 is a per spective View showing the closing end of the sack opened. Fig. at is a perspective view of the fastening,the padlock being disengaged from the link.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

I The mail bag or sack 1 may be of canvas or other material generally employed in the manufacture of this class of articles, so as to admit of its closing end being formed into a series of folds 2. Slots 3 are provided in the folds medially thereof and extend parallel therewith and with the length of the sack and are reinforced by eyelets or in any substantial manner. By providing the slots length wise of the folds and sack a greater number can be located in a sack of given width with out weakening it than is possible in such articles having the slots arranged end to end or transversely of the folds and sack. Hence the folds can be smaller or narrower. Moreover, in sacks having the slots transversely arranged a maximum amount of opening is provided to catch rain and direct it inward to the detriment of the mail-matter. The present invention obviates this feature, since the slots are disposed so as to enable the sack to shed all the water when out in the rain and suspended from a crane for delivery to or from a passing train.

The fastening consists, essentially, of a link at of oblong form and length to pass through the folds 2 when the sack is closed and have its ends project beyond the extreme folds, so as to receive the ring 5 and the hasp of the padlock 6. By having the link open in contradistinction to solid the ring 5 can move freely therein and admit of either end being thrust through the slots 3, which is of material advantage in a saving of time and annoyance. The ring prevents the link from passing entirely through the slots 3 and is used for handling the sack and as a means for suspending it from the crane. The padlock 6 may be of any type, and. its hasp engages with the end'of the link passed through the folds, the latter beingconfined between the ring 5 and the padlock 6 at opposite ends of the link 4.

The fastening is exceedingly simple, light, durable, and capable of use in connection with different sacks, since it is separate therefrom and when in position occupies a minimum amount of room, as the ring and padlock can fold close against the outermost portions of the sack.

, Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new isv,

In combination with a mail-sack adapted to close by a series of comparatively-narrow folds, the latter having centrally-disposed slots extending lengthwise of the folds and sack, an openlink of oblong form adapted to'pass through the registering slots of the folds, a ring fitted to the link and freely movable therein from end to end to admit of either end of the link passing through the folds when placing the fastening in position, and a padlock to engage the end of the link passed through the said folds, substantially as described,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WALTER FAIRFAX. Witnesses:

GLADYS L. THOMPSON, GENEVIEVE MATTHEWS. 

